Another Church Comes Crumbling Down

LANSFORD — Since 1911, St. Ann’s Catholic Church was a place of worship, and a place where many made memories in Lansford. When it closed in 2008, ...

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Author: Alicia Nieves

Published: 6:15 PM EDT August 3, 2016

Updated: 6:16 PM EDT August 3, 2016

LANSFORD -- Since 1911, St. Ann's Catholic Church was a place of worship, and a place where many made memories in Lansford.

When it closed in 2008, the Diocese of Allentown put it up for sale with no luck.

At some point, as the church began to deteriorate, a former parishioner noticed a shadow of what appears to be St. Ann in a window. For a while, it was a sign of hope that maybe the church could be saved.

Now that faith is gone, as demolition of the church began Tuesday.

"It's not a good memory to watch it come down. It's been heart-wrenching for the whole family," said Tom Dahl of Lansford.

Dahl was among the dozen people who stopped by the church to watch crews demolish it. His family's best memories were made at the church. He was married at St. Ann's and so was his son.

On Wednesday, he brought his grandson to at least get a glimpse of the church before it's completely gone.

"We wanted to go in and look a last time. But it was a little too late. Its already, the whole back of the church is gone. The altar is out," said Dahl.

"I hear my dad talking to people saying how it's kind of sad, because a lot of people around here went here. It is kind of sad to see it go," said Anthony Soberick, Dahl's Grandson.

Tracey Clark came from Coaldale to take back a piece of the church to her family.

"My boyfriend had a daughter and she would be like 19 or 20 today, but she died when she was 8 months, and she was baptized in this church. So that's why he wanted a brick, and I got one for his mom," said Clark.

What was even more disturbing for some who came to watch the church be torn down on Wednesday is knowing that even more churches are set to have a similar fate. Demolition crews said they can't keep up number of churches scheduled to be demolished.

"They are tearing churches down left and right. It's a shame. We need more God in this country," said Jesse Marshall of Summit Hill.

It will take crews about a month to demolish St. Ann's, and then they will move on to the next church demolition. Next in line is St. Katherine's in Lansford and another closed Catholic church in Coaldale.